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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

I wanted to thank Sheena and Keisha for giving me the opportunity to be a guest
blogger. My name is Sandy Durtschi and I
am a wife and mom of two girls and a forever learner. I even did the StrengthsQuest workshop and
the survey verified that one of my strengths is being a learner which
ultimately means I have a lot of hobbies/interests. In a nutshell some of my interests are
reading, outdoor activities, health/exercise and alternative medicine.

The topic I am going to write about today is personal development. I am a part-time health/fitness coach and
last year I attended a conference and John C. Maxwell was the keynote speaker
and actually the highlight of my trip.
John C. Maxwell is an America author, speaker and pastor and has written
more than 60 books. His presentation was
taken from his book "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth."

Here is a short summary of what I learned and how I have incorporated some of
his principles into my life.

Our physical bodies automatically grow and we become taller and stronger as
time passes. A misconception is we will
automatically grow mentally, spiritually and emotionally in the same
manner. Personal development just
doesn't happen. It requires effort but
there are many factors that hold us back:

lack of knowledge
timing
fear of making mistakes
perfection
lack of motivation
low self-esteem
giving up when things aren't easy

What are you doing to develop yourself?
Many people don't have an answer to that which is common. Ask yourself what are your dreams, goals and
aspirations in life? This is a great way
to find direction. There are a lot of
areas of personal growth and here is a short list of ideas: procrastination,
attitude, positive outlook, leadership, introvert, fear of failure

It can be really overwhelming in the beginning but don't let that fear stop you
from taking the plunge. Sometimes the
hardest step is just starting. One thing
I learned from John is no one, let me repeat no one is perfect at anything on
their first attempt. Mistakes are
expected so don't be so hard on yourself.

While I was building my business, clients were not throwing themselves at me
but one thing I could control was my personal development. I kept reading and the more I read the more
confident I felt and believe it or not people can feel that confidence. My efforts to grow myself did not go
unrewarded because I noticed that my relationships, communications and output
at my professional job and personal relationship were being positively
influenced and that is why I am such a big proponent of personal
development. Anyone and everyone can
benefit from their efforts in personal development.

Time is that elusive currency that no one has enough of. When I was developing my business I worked a
full-time job and I came home everyday with mouths to feed and a home to manage
so I understand what it is like to be busy.
Time doesn't magically appear for the things that are important to us
but we have to make/carve out time for them.
Here are some ways I was able to incorporate personal development into
my life:

- Listening to an audio book during a commute.
15 minutes to and 15 minutes from your destination can be really
inspiring and educational.
- Listening to audio when doing household chores like dishes, folding laundry,
dusting can now have double the benefits.
- Set up a timer for 10-15 minutes and read.
Everyone has 15 minutes and it doesn't seem like much but day in and day
out those small efforts add up quickly.
- Partner up with others who are reading the same book to build motivation and
keep you accountable.

As John C. Maxwell says "Motivation gets you going. Consistency keep you growing."

Monday, April 28, 2014

Water is essential to our survival, we can go much longer without food than we can water. Because our body is largely made up of water we have to continue to replace it. It takes our bodies several days to weeks to completely re-hydrate once we are dehydrated. There are many theories out there as to how much water you should be drinking. I think the guideline of 8 glasses a day is a minimum guideline as this is 64oz and would be recommended for almost any adult. I like the guide of half your weight in oz of water so if I were a 200lb person (for easy math) I would take 200/2 = 100... then I would drink 100oz of water per day. This is pretty basic and simple. I have heard that if you are active you need this amount plus additional water for every 20 min of exercise. For now I think just getting the basics down and then go from there. So 7 days of getting in half your body weight of water each day. I have created a facebook group for our challenges so that we can support each other in what we are doing. Feel free to join us here.

Here are my tips:Start your day with a big glass of water30 min before a meal have a big glass of waterKeep a water with you at all timesAlways have a bathroom close by ;)When I am hungry have a glass of water and wait a few minutes to make sure I am really hungryGet a fun water bottle that will keep you motivated and keep track of where your at ( I am not sure why this motivates me but it does... I have a water bottle fetish!Set a goal to have a certain amount of water finished by lunchHere is my current favorite water bottle, except mine is pink.Benefits of water:1. Helps with weightloss - flushes your system by removing by-products of fat. reduces your food intake, reduces hunger, raises your metabolism, and has no calories!!2. Improves your skin!!! Who doesn't want better skin! It moisturizes your skin, keeps it glowing ans fresh. Helps to get rid of wrinkles! Helps to get rid of acne and again it is free with zero calories!3. Aids in digestion! Water is essential to digest your food and you will notice improved regularity once you start upping your intake. It also helps to prevent constipation.4. Increases your energy! Since our brain is mostly made up of water, drinking water helps you think/focus/concentrate better and be more alert. You also boost your energy levels.5. Boosts Your Immune System - those who are regular with water intake are less likely to come down with a bug. Water helps protect and fight against flus, colds, and many other ailments like cancer and heart attack.6. Helps with Mood!!! When your body has the things you need your mood is improved. Water helps to carry out all the bodily functions that help with mood.7. Helps with Cramp and Sprain prevention - water consumption helps to keep your joints lubricated and muscles elastic so your less likely to have joint pain.8. Flushes toxins - Natural and free detox. By drinking water you help your body eliminate waste through sweat and urination, reducing the rick of UTI's and kidney stones.

9. Natural remedy for a headache - I always tell my hubby to drink water when he complains of a headache. Helps with headache prevention, migraines and back pains too. One of the most common causes of headaches is dehydration.

Monday, April 21, 2014

The first of our 7 day challenges (because really you can do almost anything for 7 days right?), will be a food journal/calorie tracking. I was going to use lose it but found I had more friends using myfitnesspal so I switched over because support and accountability is important. I love that you can set up how many calories you want based on how quickly you want to loose weight.

I am wanting a slow weight loss so I don't loose any muscle. You can put in what you want your carb/protien/fat ratio to be mine is set at 40/30/30 based on a book I read for endurance athletes.

Also if you get online you can put in a few measurements too. I think tracking measurements and weight is important because the scale can vary so much that you don't always get a clear picture.

Reasons why food Journaling is important:

It helps with Weight loss:

"Researcher Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, says based on the study results, the number one piece of advice someone should follow if they want to lose weight is, "Keep a food journal."

"It's about accountability, knowing what you're eating and how much, and how that all adds up compared with your calorie goal for losing weight," she tells WebMD.1"

It is important to know how many calories your eating because sometimes our guesses are way off. It was eye opening to me when I started how many calories I was eating.

It is important to know what kinds of calories your consuming... are they sugar, are they calories from drinks, are they calories from fruits and veggies.

For me it helps if I have a week that I really feel good, and I am tracking my food I can go back and see what I ate (usually it is more fruits and veggies and less junk). It also helps me to remember what I am eating during and before and after runs so I know what feels good and what doesn't for me during my running.

You think before putting something into your mouth if you have to write it down, so you are less likely to eat mindlessly.

Comment below and let me know if you will be joining me this week in tracking your food/calories and what method you will be using (notebook, lose it app, fitnesspal app or something else).

Friday, April 18, 2014

Sheena asked me to write up something about my weight loss journey. This is one thing I love to share because it's the one thing that has changed my life the very most.

This comparison picture of me was taken exactly a year apart.. The before is actually my middle part of my journey. Anyways, You can see I've had a lot of physical changes, but what you can't see is the changes that I made on the inside. (Which to me is has been wayyyyy more valuable than the physical changes because I found out how to love myself) I'm proof that if you change your thoughts about yourself, the outside will follow. It's really weird to me to have a conversation with someone else, to find out they have the same negative thoughts about them, as I did for myself. (I thought it was only me!) Thoughts like "I'm not good enough" "I'm not fast enough" "I'm not skinny enough" "I'm not a strong enough" "I'm not pretty enough"... and the list goes on and on and on. (Why and who put this into our brains!?!)

Also what I've found is that a lot of women have a really really hard time accepting complimnets. For me every time someone would pay me a compliment I would think to myself "they are just saying that because they feel bad for me." "They are just saying that because I'm the last to finish the workout" I had a list of excuses for myself at why someone would actually like who I was, because I didn't like myself.

The ending of 2012, I was at a crossroads with my weight loss, I was getting frustrated because I wasn't going anywhere. I decided to take the plunge again and let myself be seen and critiqued in a different way. I hired someone to help me with my nutrition. Little did I know, he would change my life. He saw me. He didn't see everything I thought I was. (every negative thing out there!) I decided to listen to his advice and really make an effort to change my thoughts about myself. The first thing was accepting compliments. If someone paid me a compliment, all I had to do was smile and say thank you, regardless of if I believed the person or not. That taught me to accept love. As I kept doing that eventually my thoughts towards myself started to change. I was good enough. I am good enough. The reason I really love this part about my journey is because I found out how to love myself. And with loving myself I am more forgiving of my mistakes, I take better care of myself, I'm happier… and things just fell right into place because I love myself for who I am. See why loving yourself would benefit all parts of your life?

If you are interested, feel free to follow me on Facebook where I share my journey, tips, recipes… and stuff like that.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Spring time is a time to clean out, to reflect and renew. So much symbolism in spring the plants begin to bloom again ready for a new year to show their beauty, it's when babies are born showing new life, it is when we all get the urge to clean out and purge our homes and it is usually the moment we realize we need to shed some winter weight and get back into shape for summer time. The fruits and vegetables that produce in the spring are ones that help the body to cleanse such as strawberries and asparagus.

So much of what we do is built around habit.... Why do you reach for comfort food during stress, is it because that food helps you feel better or is it a habit you picked up along the way. It is a habit, I have never felt better after indulging in something bad for me because I was stressed. A lot of what you do is built around habits you have formed, so in order to change and be better, you need to build better habits right! They say it takes 21 days to build a new habit and I think that is about right. What I am wanting to do is start slowly and implement one healthy habit each week (meanwhile keeping the old habit going too), and slowly build myself into a healthier version of me! I am hoping that you will join with me and we can support and encourage each other along the way. Things are always better with a friend, and studies show that being accountable to someone else increases your chances of success. I am hoping that you all are as excited about this as I am. Each Monday morning I will post a new habit that we are working on that week and some information about how to succeed doing it, and why we would want to. Who is in on this with me? I will post the Challenge on Monday on the blog and the fb page and then I will be checking in daily to remind you on the facebook page. Healthy-Intuition If you sign up for our e-mail list you will be sure not to miss the challenge for the week. I will be going with this through the remainder of spring, and at the end there will be prizes and possibly surprise giveaways along the way so be sure to follow and participate, and let me know you are participating.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Why are steel cut oats so good for you?
Oats are a high nutrient plant food that has a ton of nutrition, Vit E, B, and minerals - calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium copper, zinc, iron and manganese. Oats are also great because they don't spike your blood sugar the way refined carbohydrates do.

According to the book Beauty Detox Foods by Kimberly Snyder "In a study at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, it was determined that consumption of whole grains can contribute to favorable metabolic alterations that may reduce long-term weight gain. This along with fat reduction, will help reduce cellulite."

Oats are beneficial to heart health, and can help prevent diabetes due to the slow uptake of glucose.

Here is my recipe for what I call Protein Oats:
I absolutely love this breakfast and it is really and easy way for me to add in a bit more protein to my diet without consuming one more boiled egg, or piece of chicken. I love steel cut oats they are my favorite and obviously healthy for you from the information I found about them. I usually make a big batch to last me the week because really who has time to make a 30+ minute breakfast every morning! Not this Mom. So I make a bunch then when I go to reheat some I add in 1-2 egg whites stir them in and reheat it cooking the egg white. I then put on my topping of choice lately it has been peanut butter with a tiny bit of honey or some dark chocolate chips. But I have been known to put berries or just honey, a banana, really your options are endless here. I have been eating this on mornings before I go run, I need to eat just a little earlier so my body can digest it before I start my run, but it has proven to be a great form of fuel. It is filling, and one serving with 2 egg whites and 1/4 cup dry oats and 1 tbsp peanut butter has 10.6 grams fat (don't let this scare you it is good fat), 4 g fiber 15.7g protein and 290 calories. UNDER 300 Calories for a very filling very healthy breakfast!

Monday, April 7, 2014

I've had the SAME EXACT meal planning and prepping routine for over 3 years, I kid you not, I could do this blindfolded! LOL I'm here today to lay it all out, from beginning to end, what it is I do each week to help me prepare for a successful week ahead. I do this weekly because I have found that fruits and veggies spoil fast, and planning is WAY easier as well.

EVERY SATURDAY I start with a printable weekly meal planner in front of me....one kinda like this:

Next, I grab some resources for meal and snack ideas, sorta like these:

I like to keep things SUPER SIMPLE by repeating most of my meals all week except for dinner, that is when our family all sits down together, and they probably wouldn't appreciate eating the same 2 dinners every other night. BUMMER!

Next, I start writing out my meal plan by choosing a couple diff breakfasts, snacks, and lunches. And like I said, I will repeat the few that I choose all week long. KISS - Keep It Super Simple!!

I'll then choose 6 different dinners (we eat out one night a week, every week), and write them down on the meal planner as well.

Here is my sample meal plan from last week:

Once I get my meal planner all filled out, I grab a piece of paper and write out my grocery list. I make sure to go through my fridge and pantry to see what I already have stocked so I don't double up (I've done this too many times to count, and kick myself every time!).

THEN, on Sunday, I go shopping! I get things ONLY on my list. I repeat, I get things ONLY on my list! You will save money doing this, I promise!

When I get home, I put all the groceries away. Once that is done, I'll prep any and all meals that I can, especially lunches and snacks. For example, take a look at the pics above. Those are my morning snacks for the entire week, prepped and ready to just grab and eat. They can easily be taken to work or on the run as well! NO EXCUSES!!

Here are my prepped "Salads in a Jar". They stayed fresh all the way to the end of the week!

Here is my Meal Planning and Prepping schedule in a nutshell:

SATURDAY -

1. Print out a weekly meal planner

2. Gather recipe resources

3. Choose 2-3 breakfasts, snacks, and lunches, and write them down on the planner

4. Choose dinner recipes for the week and add them to the planner

5. Write out grocery list

SUNDAY -

1. Go grocery shopping

2. Put groceries away, prep snacks and lunches

I hope I have helped you in some way. It's always a little time consuming in the beginning, but be patient, give yourself time to learn the process. Stop making excuses as to why you can't meal plan or don't know how or where to start. Spend time on Sunday to prep, I can't even BEGIN to tell you how flippin' happy you'll be when you see how much time you saved throughout the week. Being able to open the fridge and grab your lunch when you're running out the door for work in the morning....PRICELESS!!!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Because that's how I see it. Each week I try to do a little better than the one before. That way it's okay if I fail. It happens. Another week is right around the corner. But when I conquer, I'm that much stronger.

Lesson 1 = Sweet Potato Chips

This is nothing new. It's been discovered by millions but I thought I'd finally take my shot at it. It has ended up taking a spot at the top of my healthy food list. Plus it's SUPER EASY...because that's the only way I cook.

Grab your yam/sweet potato of choice. Peel and cut thin. Consistency is the key. If you have different sizes, they will cook unevenly. Aim for silver dollar size.

On my first try I used a basting brush to spread the olive oil and sprinkle the salt (as per the instructions I found via Internet). Well, the oil took too long and I had salt all over the tray. It's much easy to put it all inside a container and shake a few times. Then everything is coated the same. I also used a BBQ rub which was NUMMY. Seasoned salt works great too. Throw them on a cookie sheet and cook in the oven @ 375 for 10 min., flip, and repeat.

I used the chips as a side for my Tilapia and spinach. Tilapia is a relatively cheap fish and pretty darn healthy. We all know the green stuff is. I sprinkled lemon pepper on the fish and then lemon juice over the spinach. I'll admit I don't make extravagant meals but they are easy, fast, healthy, and taste good to me. Give it a shot!

What do you use when all your running pants are dirty? You guessed it. SPIRIT SLEEVES. Sure I look like I'm trying to hold onto my youth longer than my face allows but I sure felt fast. My Garmin didn't prove it but it's all about how you feel right? Plus my calves were grateful. Maybe that can be their new name.

Spirit Sleeves Calve CoatsI have them in pink too. Thank you sock outlet.

Lesson #3 - Wash your hands after using Peppermint Oil

I'm not an oil Guru. That would be my counterpart Sheena. However, my Mom gave me a bottle of Peppermint Oil and since my hair is still falling out after baby #4 I thought I would give it a shot. Plus it was free...thank you Mama. I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing but it feels good and smells nice. I just put a little on the tips of my fingers and apply to my scalp, especially my hair line and temples.

Here is where the lesson comes in.

After I finished my oil application, I moved on to my moisturizer. Well my friends, if you don't wash your hands after using peppermint oil and then you apply your moisturizer all over your face...watch out! It's a fine line between invigorating and HOLY MINTY EYEBALLS!

Thursday, April 3, 2014

As you know I went a bit crazy in January and decided that I wanted needed to sign up for my first marathon. I have been training and researching like crazy. I have been running for fun for the last 5 years, and in the beginning I never thought I would call myself a runner. If you know both Kiesha and I, you know that Kiesha has had a life long passion for running and she is great at it!!! (I might be super jealous of her skills here). But I will forever love Kiesha for many reasons, but one of those is because she introduced me and pushed and helped me learn to love to run.

Our van pre run! It was raining so hard at the finish we have no pictures.

My first race was 2 months post baby, running a relay, as I pumped in between runs and thought I was going to die, I swore I would never subject myself to such craziness and pain ever again! Well we got to the finish line, soaking wet, muscles so sore I could barley stand, and we were exhausted, but the adrenaline and feelings of accomplishment for doing something so awesome took over in my brain and I was ready to sign up for the same craziness next year (minus milking myself in the van as we went, I will never do that again, nursing and relays don't go together). I loved the team aspect, the support, but mostly knowing that I did something hard and I survived! After that I still said I hated to run, but really I loved it, I just didn't know it yet. I didn't do any other races until ragnar the next year, and then after that I started signing up for other races a few 5k's a 5 miler, and then Kiesha roped me into a half!!

Me and Kiesha Post run at the Mantua Dam Run 2012

Our Epic team 2012 (I think?)

2010 Ragnar Pre-race!

Yep this is Sione from Biggest loose season ? 5 I think... He was at the starting line!!!

Before our half!!! Kiesha had some serious bling on!

My half was interesting, I felt great for most of the race, I wasn't going in with any expectation of finishing time other than I didn't want to be last. I kept a pretty decent pace for myself through most of the race, I got lost in the beauty that was around me (we were in Park City, UT in the Fall), in my music and just pushing myself forward. I got to mile 8 and had a problem however, I needed to poop! (I cannot believe I am sharing this with you all but if your a runner you understand, and if your human you poop too so hopefully you understand too). There wasn't a porta potty in sight so I started walking. I walked and walked and pretty soon I noticed the urge had left and I was good to run again... so I started up... Well I was running the wrong direction... I am not sure where or how I got lost, but I did. OOPS! So I turned around and started running with the crowd... thankfully I had the same mileage at the finish, but it kinda messed me up. So my finishing time was not awesome, but it makes it easy to beat next time right.

Ash and I on the bus up to the start!

We finished (she finished long before me) but we finished in the rain!

Our last year has been a bit rough, my 4 year old fell out of our second story house and although he sustained no critical injuries (thankfully), he still had to be walking only for several months, and watched very closely (so this became my full time job) everything went to the way side I stopped running, I stopped crossfitting, everything was about keeping him down and safe. My husband was working at a new job and had been commuting 2 hours each way while we were trying to sell our home and this happened during all of that. A month later my 6yr old broke his arm (by this point we were on a first name basis with the ER doctors) so when Kiesha approached me and said hey lets get a few of us together and run the Ogden Marathon as a relay I said ok, but give me the easy leg I have too much on my plate right now. Well fast forward a few months and we had moved, my kids were not requiring the same amount of attention and I was ready to start training again (in fact I needed to start doing something). I was talking to my friend on the phone and she says to me, "we should run a marathon this spring" I told her she was nuts and no way. She was persistent though and we went back and forth talking about doing one in the fall etc. Finally we decided on doing one in the spring so I called Kiesha and asked if she could fill my spot on the relay because I was running the whole thing. Kiesha of course thought I was crazy (because maybe I was a bit), but she said she could fill my spot and gave me a ton of information on training and where to start.

Me and Alisha 16 miles!!!

Me and Kiesha 15 miles!!!

After I signed up I was excited and had some serious adrenaline going for a day or so.... then the reality of what I had done set in and I may have been a bit scared, but still excited to check this off my bucket list. So I looked up a few training plans and finally decided to follow one from www.halhigdon.com It seemed reasonable for me and felt like something I could do in the 17 weeks I had available to me. I then started asking everyone I know about running, in addition to reading every article I could find on online, and every book I could get my hands on. The one I have loved the very most is called IronFit: Strength Training and Nutrition for Endurance Athletes by Don Fink and Melanie Fink. This book was a gold mine of information on sooo many things that I needed help with. I have been following my training plan (well mostly, I may have missed a few short runs here and there), learning to fuel my body for what works best for my body not only during my runs but before and after and during the week. I am working on my hydration plans too. The strength training routines they have outlined in the book are so wonderful and helping a ton. I have ran up to 16 miles which is 3 miles further (well 2.90) than I have ever ran in my life. Each week is my longest run I have ever done. Each week I feel like a total rockstar when I am finished, it is exhilarating! I really enjoy crossing off each run of my training plan. I just hit my 200 mile mark for the year yesterday which is awesome for me. I usually run 300-400 miles in an entire year! I have 6 weeks left before race day and I am excited and nervous, but I am hoping all my research and hard work will pay off and I can finish in my goal time of 5 hours or less, and be able to enjoy it. I have very much enjoyed my training up to this point and hope that joy continues. It has been so fun and I have even found a few new running buddies down here to run with!

I am currently running 4 days a week, strength training 2-3 days a week, and trying to fuel my body for what is to come. I eat 5 small meals a day trying to keep it as clean as possible. I have cut most of my sugar, soda etc. I am drinking 3 liters of water per day, and trying to figure out how to hydrate during my runs. Pre run I try to eat some steel cut oats and egg whites or and apple with peanut butter. During my runs over 8 miles I fuel with gu every 4 miles (I have thought of trying for something more natural but right now the gu works for me and so I am sticking with it) I need to work on hydrating during my long runs, I hate carrying my water so dropping water seems to be my best option so far. Post run I grab a chocolate milk ASAP and then I have found I want warm food, like a pulled pork sandwich or breakfast burrito, and I need to eat quickly or I start to feel really icky. What does your training look like? What have you done that has worked well for you (I would love to know)?

Me, Scot and Kylee 12 miles in a down pour!!

What is the farthest you have ever ran? Or the hardest run or hardest workout you have ever done? I know some of you are runners and some of you may not be (deep in my heart I am a crossfitter too I have just had to put that on hold for a moment but I will be back.) but regardless of what you do be it lift, bike, swim, run... I want to hear what is the hardest workout you have done or your biggest fitness accomplishment!?

H.I. Visitors

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